-Friday, Nov. 4 Carleton University (Canada) at UCLA (Pauley Pavilion, 7:30 p.m.) - UCLA opens the exhibition season on Friday, hosting the Carleton University Ravens, from Ottawa, Ontario. The three-time defending CIS(Canada Interuniversity Sport) collegiate national champions, the Ravens are 8-1 in their exhibition season vs. Canadian schools, last playing on Saturday at home and defeating McGill, 83-54. Not included in that record was an exhibition loss to Murray State, 67-63 on Sept. 4 at Carleton. The Ravens have been 28-0 the last two seasons (83-1 the last three years) and enter 2005-06 with a CIS/ OUA (Ontario University Athletics) regular-season/postseason 78-game winning streak, including a home winning streak of 50 consecutive. Carleton head coach Dave Smart is an assistant coach for the Canadian National team. Before playing at UCLA on Friday, the Ravens face Arizona State in Tempe on Thursday (Nov. 3).

Exhibition Games - UCLA will have two in Pauley Pavilion - Friday, Nov. 4 vs. Carleton University and Thursday, Nov. 10 vs. CS Monterey Bay (7:30 p.m.). Both Bruin men's exhibition games will be broadcast live with streaming video (broadcast begins at 7:25 p.m. with 'Bruin Countdown') over the UCLA website (www.uclabruins.com), with Dave Marcus and Michael Sondheimer (to listen on the website, purchase the UCLA All-Access pass that is good for over 125 UCLA events/to purchase at $6.95 a month-go to www.uclabruins.com and click into All Access). The two exhibition games will not be radio broadcast (XTRA 570) or televised.

Ben Howland - Begins his third season at UCLA and his 12th year as a head coach (UCLA 2003-present/Pittsburgh 2000-03/Northern Arizona 1995-99/ 29-28 at UCLA, 197-127 overall). Last season, Howland led the Bruins back to the NCAA Tournament (for the first time since 2002) with an overall mark of 18-11 and a Pac-10 record of 11-7 (3rd-place). He is the 28th coach in NCAA history to guide three teams to the NCAA Tournament (2005 UCLA/2002-03 Pittsburgh 'Sweet 16s'/1998 Northern Arizona). In his first season (2003-04) at UCLA, the Bruins were 11-17 overall (7-11, Pac-10, 7th tie), started the season at 9-3, defeated NCAA Tournament teams Michigan State, Washington (twice) and Vermont and made a Pac-10 Tournament appearance. In his final two seasons (2001-02/2002-03) at Pittsburgh - in 2003, he led the Panthers to a 28-5 overall record, No. 4 national ranking, NCAA 'Sweet 16' and the Big East Tournament championship and in 2002, Pittsburgh was 29 (school record for wins)-6 overall, advanced to the NCAA 'Sweet 16' and the Big East Tournament title game and Howland was named the consensus National Coach of the Year (please see attached Howland bio).

Wooden Classic Press Conference - To highlight the upcoming Wooden Classic, a press conference, featuring all four head coaches and John Wooden, will be held at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim (Service Level/East End) at 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 9. The 12th annual Wooden Classic will be held Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Arrowhead Pond (noon-Washington vs. New Mexico/2:30 p.m.-UCLA vs. Nevada/KCAL). This will be UCLA's ninth appearance (third consecutive) in the Wooden Classic. The Bruins have a Classic record of 5-3 (last year, UCLA was defeated by Boston College 74-64).

2005 Preseason NIT - For the first time since 1996 and for the fourth time in school history (2005-1996-1992-1987), the Bruins will play in the Preseason NIT. The first game (Tuesday, Nov. 15 in Pauley Pavilion, 7 p.m./ESPN2), will be against Western Athletic Conference member New Mexico State, under new head coach and NBA and UNLV great Reggie Theus. If UCLA wins its first round home contest, a quarterfinal game will be held Thursday, Nov. 17 (site to be determined/vs. the winner of Army at Temple) and should the Bruins win both games - the Preseason NIT semifinals (Wednesday, Nov. 23) and championship/third-place games (Friday, Nov. 25) will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City (ESPN2).

The first-round NIT matchups are - Nov. 14 - Boston U. at Duke, Manhattan at Seton Hall, Sam Houston State at Missouri and Drexel at Princeton; Nov. 15- Miami (Ohio) at Alabama, Wisconsin-Milwaukee at Memphis, Army at Temple and New Mexico State at UCLA.

In UCLA's preseason NIT history, the Bruins - in 1996, lost in the first round to Tulsa in Pauley Pavilion (77-76, OT); in 1992, lost a semifinal game to Seton Hall 73-64 and defeated Florida State 86-83 for third-place and in 1987, lost a second round contest at New Mexico State 77-66.

Experimental Rules - This season, all certified men's basketball games (including the Preseason NIT) that occur before Jan. 1, are required to use the 2005 experimental rules. This year's men's basketball experimental rules are - 1. moving the three-point line one foot behind the current three-point line to create a new experimental distance of 20 feet-nine inches; 2. widening the free-throw lane by one foot on each side (note the experimental lane will serve both as the three-second lane and the free throw lane) and 3. placing a restricted area arc which is to be three feet from the center of the basket ring.

UCLA Staff - Joining Howland are assistant coaches, all entering their third season on the Bruin staff - Donny Daniels, who for three seasons (2000-03) was the head coach at CS Fullerton; Ernie Zeigler, who for two years (2002-03) served on Howland's Pittsburgh staff and Kerry Keating, who for two seasons (2002-03) was at Tennessee under Buzz Peterson; along with Director of Operations Chris Carlson, who for two seasons (2002-03) served in the same capacity for Howland at Pittsburgh. Rounding out the staff are Head Strength and Conditioning Coach E. J. 'Doc' Kreis (third season), trainer Tony Spino (second season), Video Coordinator Scott Garson (second season), Administrative Assistant Doug Erickson, entering his 14th season on the Bruin basketball staff, Administrative Assistant Leslie Dalziel (first season), Head Equipment Manager Mike McBride (tenth season), Interim Director of Academic Services Mike Casillas (eighth season) and Academic Coordinator Kenny Donaldson (second season).

Janou Rubin - In what has been a lengthy procedural process, the UCLA Athletic Department and the Rubin family have been dealing with the NCAA, attempting to get Rubin a sixth year of eligibility (he did not compete in 2001-02/Rubin also missed the final 19 games of last season with a left knee injury that required surgery). But as of the week of Oct. 31, Rubin's status for 2005-06 is still undecided. During a request for a five-year clock extension, while the extension is under consideration, Rubin may practice for 30 days (starting Oct. 14), but cannot play against outside competition.

Injury Update Sophomore guard Arron Afflalo - suffered a left quadricep contusion in Saturday's practice (Oct. 29). He's listed as day-to-day, but will probably not return to practice for a couple of days.Sophomore point guard Jordan Farmar - suffered a right groin strain in practice on Thursday (Oct. 27). He will be re-evaluated on Tuesday (Nov. 1), and will be held out of practice for five days (Thursday-Tuesday, the Bruins did not practice on Sunday, Oct. 30).

Josh Shipp - On Sept. 28 had a successful outpatient arthroscopic right hip procedure performed by Dr. Carlos A. Guanche at the Southern California Orthopedic Institute in Van Nuys. According to Dr. Guanche, the procedure repaired a torn labrum (cartilage) and also included a debridement of the femoral neck (bone spur removal). Guanche also said that there was no arthritis or degenerative condition in Shipp's right hip. Guanche said rehabilitation should take 8-12 weeks (Shipp will spend the first month on crutches, came off crutches Oct. 26). Dr. Guanche is a family physician to the Shipp family. Approximately a year ago, he performed a successful arthroscopy hip procedure (unrelated to Josh's injury) on Joe Shipp, Josh's older brother, who played at California and was the Pac-10 leading scorer in 2003 (20.4).

Michael Fey - Before the start of practice (Oct. 14) was diagnosed with a severe groin pull (following a negative MRI). It could be 2-3 weeks for a complete recovery (has not practiced as of Oct. 31).

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute - Before the start of practice (Oct. 14), Mbah a Moute was diagnosed with a sprained right shoulder (following a negative MRI). He returned to practice on Oct. 22.

Alfred Aboya - Aboya has had two knee surgeries in the last three months. On Oct. 12, he had a successful left knee arthroscopic procedure (cartilage) performed at the UCLA Medical Center by Bruin team physician Dr. Gerald Finerman. The rehabilitation time is 4-6 weeks (on Monday, Oct. 31 has been cleared for up to an hour of noncontact work/by the week of Nov. 6, could be cleared for contact practice on a limited time basis). Then, on July 11, Aboya had a successful right knee arthroscopic procedure (cartilage) performed by Dr. Finerman at the UCLA/Santa Monica Medical Center. The rehabilitation time was approximately four-to-seven weeks. Aboya had been on campus attending summer school, which started June 27.

Joey Ellis - On Oct. 7, had a left knee arthroscopic procedure and could be out for 12 weeks.

UCLA Regular Season Schedule - UCLA's 2005-06 men's basketball schedule will feature eight teams that advanced to postseason play last season (NCAA/NIT) and the Bruins will also participate in the Preseason NIT and Wooden Classic. Teams from last year's NCAA include - Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Delaware State (Saturday, Nov. 19 in Pauley Pavilion, 7:30 p.m.), Western Athletic Conference Nevada in the Wooden Classic (Saturday, Dec. 10 in Anaheim, 2:30 p.m./KCAL), Big East West Virginia (Saturday, Jan. 12 in Pauley Pavilion, 12:45 p.m., CBS/the Mountaineers in the 2005 NCAA advanced to the Albuquerque Regional final, losing to Louisville 93-85OT) and Pac-10 foes Washington, Arizona and Stanford. Also in 2005, conference opponents Oregon State and Arizona State participated in the NIT. For the fourth consecutive season, UCLA will play Big 10 Michigan (Dec. 17 in Ann Arbor, 9 a.m. PT/ESPN) -UCLA leads the series 8-3 and defeated the Wolverines last season in Pauley 81-79.

Ed O'Bannon, Kenny Washington Inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame - On Friday, Sept. 30, Bruin basketball greats Kenny Washington and Ed O'Bannon were inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame (they were also introduced at halftime during UCLA's football game vs. Washington in the Rose Bowl on Oct. 1). Kenny Washington was a three-year letterman (1964-66) under Coach John Wooden and played on the Bruins' first two NCAA Championship squads (1964-65). In the 1964 NCAA Championship game vs. Duke, Washington came off the bench and scored 26 points in UCLA's 98-83 victory. In the Bruins' 91-80 victory over Michigan in the 1965 NCAA Final, Washington again came off the bench to scored 17 points. He was a senior starting guard in 1966. Ed O'Bannon in 1995 led the Bruins to their 11th NCAA title. In the Championship game vs. defending champion Arkansas, O'Bannon scored 30 points, with 17 rebounds, in UCLA's 89-78 triumph. He was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player and also went on to receive the Wooden Award, as the nation's top collegiate performer. In the 1995 NBA Draft, O'Bannon was a first round choice (No. 9 selection) by the New Jersey Nets. On Feb. 1, 1996 in a ceremony in Pauley Pavilion, UCLA retired O'Bannon's No. 31 jersey number.